Change of Scenary, Change of Life
by madison blanche
Summary: After her father's death, Sherri is forced to move to Forks to live with her mother and her mother's boyfriend, Chief Charlie Swan. Aaron Newton younger brother of Mike Newton has his eye set out for her. Sheri meets a new member of the Cullen clan..
1. Welcome to Forks

"Sherri," my mother said, the tone in her voice obviously annoyance. "Would you listen to me?"

"I AM listening," I insisted, "I'm watching the rain."

"And what is so interesting about that god damn rain?"

"Everything."

My mother hated when I didn't look at her when she spoke. She claimed it showed I wasn't interested in what she was saying. To be quite honest, I wasn't paying any attention to what she had said on our drive from the airport, but I wasn't about to let her know that. She closed the sunroof, taking away my fascination of staring at the rainy sky.

I sat up, arms crossed. "I'm listening now, dearest mother."

She smiled with satisfaction. "Good. Now, do you have a good jacket?"

"Yeah, mom, grandpa bought me one before I moved, like I already told you."

"I'm just making sure. Are you going to be alright driving to school tomorrow?"

"Well, I don't really have a choice now do I?"

"I can always have Charlie take you."

"NO!" I protested. Charlie was my mom's new boyfriend and the cheif of police here in Forks. There was no way I was going to show up on my first day of school in a police car. "Mom, I thought I was going to be NORMAL here. That's what I want, normal."

"Now, public school is different than your old school."

"I know, mom."

"You're going to have to do P.E."

"Mom, we've been over this. Can we just stop talking?"

"Sorry, hunny, this is a big change for me."

"What about me, mom? Huh?"

"Sorry."

I felt bad, snapping at my mother for that, but I couldn't help it. She seemed to not fully understand the effect this move was going to have on me. I'd always lived in Texas, where the weather was quite unpredictable. Here in Forks, was quite predictable - rain.

"You still have the locket." My mom observed.

I rolled my eyes. "I never take it off, mom. It's one of the few things I have to remember dad by."

"You really miss him, don't you?"

I turned my attention to the rain, ignoring the question completly. My father's death was not something I discussed often. My grandpa, my father's father, had been my source of support for the two additional months my mom allowed me to stay in Texas before insisting I move to Forks. She had abandoned her old home to move in with Charlie, her boyfriend. I knew she was hoping Charlie would propose soon. I, however, was hoping my mom would keep alone. I knew so far, by my two months of discussion with my mother, that Charlie's house only had one bathroom. I would be taking over his daughter's old room. The population of Forks was a little over three thousand.

"He's excited, isn't he?" I finally asked.

"Who?"

"Charlie. I mean.. didn't Bella run off and get married?"

"Yes. He is excited to have a teenager around again. I'm excited to have you back in my life." She fell silent again as we pulled into the driveway.

Charlie seemed to run from the house before the car even turned off. I opened my door and stepped out into the rain. "Sherri!" Charlie exclaimed. "What an excitement it is to have you. Did you have a good flight?"

"Yeah," I mumbled, "Just great."

"I've got a pizza in the kitchen if you're hungry."

"Thanks, but I ate on the airport when mom was running late. So I think I'll go unpack then go to bed early. I'm kinda tired from the flight." Truth be told, I had very little to unpack. Just the duffle bag I had with me on the plane. Everything else had bee shipped three days earlier via UPS by my grandpa.

"Oh, alright. Do you need any help with your bag?"

"No thanks, Charlie." I hoisted my bag on my shoulder and headed towards the house.

"Your room is easy to find." Charlie called after me. "Just go upstairs and your door is open."

I started to run upstairs, not that I was excited, but to avoid further conversation with my mother and Charlie. The house was small, but I loved it. I found my room easy, as Charlie had said. I closed the door behind me as soon as I entered the bedroom to ensure privacy. I stared at my new room- the wood floor, the light blue walls, the peaked window - this was my new sanctuary. Bedrooms, in my family, were a sense of security. This one would suit me quite well. Atop the desk sat my new computer, a welcoming present my mother had promised, along with fast-running internet. It was a compromise I had to deal with - a means of communication with my friends back home.

Pamphlets for Forks high School were sitting on my desk. I picked up the top one and sat on my bed to read it. I wasn't shocked to find that there were a mere three hundred and fifty some-odd students in Forks High School. I was used to smaller, so it would be an adjustment indeed.

I contemplated trying to sell myself off as a mute at school, but immediatly discareded the idea. If my mother knew of my intensions, I'd be in for a lengthy speech on the importance of socialization. Back home, mostly everyone had an accent, those that didn't were move-ins from out of state. The word "ya'll" was a part of my every day speech.

I fell asleep that night with a copy of "The Truth About Forever" by Sara Dessen in my hands. I slept soundly, the "pitter-patter" of the rain seeming to lull my to sleep easily. I even opened the window, at a point, so I could smell the rain. My other reason for opening the windo was to dull out my mother's snoring with the wind.

I awoke the next morning to darkness. Dark storm clouds loomed overhead, rain poured from the sky. I smiled and headed downstairs, still in my baby blue Eeyor pajamas.

"Morning" my mom greeted from the stove. "Would you like breakfast?"

"Depends on what you're making," I replied happily.

"Bacon and eggs."

"No, but thanks mom. Did Charlie already leave?"

"Yes, he had some paperwork to do at the police station. I'm going to drop him off some breakfast on my way to work. I think there's some honeybuns in the cabinet if you'd like one. I picked you up a bottle of strawberry milk. It's in the fridge."

I smiled, opening the cabinet she had indicated and taking a honeybunn out. "Thanks mom, you know exactly what I like." Taking the strawberry milk, I headed into the small family room just off the kitchen. Over the fireplace was a split scene. One side, pictures of Bella, Charlie's daughter, from every school year. On the other side, there were my pictures, also from every school year - up to last year, of course. In the middle, there was a snapshot of my mom and Charlie, taken at what looked like a Christmas party.

"I'm leaving!" My mom called from the kitchen. "I put your lunch on the counter. Don't be late for schoo!"  
"I won't!" I yelled back. Being late wasn't in me. I was always early to everything - even things I dreaded most. I explored the house a little more before finally going upstairs to get dressed. I didn't want to underdress, but then again, sticking out was definetly to be avoided. I decided quickly on jeans, my black converse, a baby blue Eeyore shirt, and a zip-up hoody my grandpa had helped me pick out before I moved. When I headed downstairs I grabbed my lunch and schoolbag. I was about to call my mom for my car keys when I noticed the note next to my lunch with the car keys "don't forget these. Be safe. Love, mom." I took the keys and hurried outside. I took my time walking to the old volkswagon beetle my grandpa had bought for me. The rain felt wonderful as it poured over my head and dripped from my nose. I finally got in the car, delaying the trip to school no longer. I knew I would be early, exactly as I had planned.

I found the school with ease, using the map Charlie had put in my car. The school looked oddly like a collection of matching houses, built with maroon-covered bricks. There was such a plethora of trees and shrubs it was hard to see the size. It was definetly nothing like my old school, which prided itself in being so exclusive, complete with a code-needed gate

I found a parking spot in front of the first building, which had a small sign over the door reading "Front Office." I figured it was the easiest place to find directions, rather than wondering around wasting time (although I wouldn't mind the rain). I hurried inside, wishing I could linger a few more minutes in the rain.

The office was quite small - merely a waiting area with padding folding chairs, orange-flecked commercial carpet, notices and awards cluttering the wall, and a large clock ticking the time loudly. Where was the sense in pride? Where were the tile floors, the leather chairs? There were three desks behind the counter, one of which had an odd-looking woman who was wearing a bright pink t-shirt, which I found shocking. Where were the power-suits? She immediatly looked up at me. "Hi there!" She said cheerfully, "What can I help you with?"

"I'm new," I managed to stutter. The look of annoyance on her face told me she already knew this. Her irritated state irritated me. I was nervous, and she didn't understand. Stupid woman.

"Name?"

"Sherri Richardson."

"One sec, hun." She smacked her gum (a repulsive habit) as she thumbed through a scattered pile of folders. Her face lit up with delight as she discovered what she had been searching for. "Yep. Here's your schedule and map." She brought the papers and told me that my classroom numbers were marked on the map, and the best route had been highlighted. She then gave me a slip that I had to get each of my teachers to sign and take back at the end of the day. I thanked her as she told me she hoped I had a good day, then hurried out of the office. I got back in my car and drove to the front of the school, parking in a random spot. The parking lot had a few cars here and there, but they were parked in clusters.

I stuffed my lunch in my bag and got out of the car and into the rain. A smile spread accross my face as I walked toward the school. The rain was absoloutly wonderful, and I only hoped the school day wouldn't ruin the day. I sat on a bench under an awning. I had considered momentarily a spot on a picnic table in the rain, but I'd rather my butt be dry when I went to class. The bench I had chosen gave me the best of both worlds - seeing rain and being dry. I looked at my schedule First period was Anatomy in building 4. I stared at the map, trying to figure out where to go.

"Anyone sitting here?" a voice asked. I looked up into the smiling face of a blonde haired boy, who was definetly taller than me.

"No." I replied feebly. "Just me."

He sat down next to me and stuck out his hand. "I'm Aaron."

I took his hand, which was amazingly soft, and shook it. "Sherri."

"You new?"

I nodded my head slowly. "That obvious?"

He laughed. "Yeah, the whole confused- looking at the map thing usually does it."

I smiled weakly. "I don't do very good at hiding."

"May I?" He asked, gently taking the schedule from my hands. "Ah, first period Anatomy. Smart girl. Mr. Fisher's a pretty cool teacher. Unlucky for me, I have yearbook that period. We have English together, that's a plus. We have Trig together, too! Oh, and Spanish. So most of the morning. Government - together. Then you have P.E. when I have Office Aide. Then we have Journalism together. And then Chem - together. So we'll be seeing a lot of each other."

"Lucky for me." I smiled nervously.

"Why don't I show you to your class?"

I stood up nearly too quick. "That'd be great."

"So where'd you move here from?"

"Texas."

"I knew it was somewhere southern. You've got yourself an accent."

"It's a curse."

The building he led me to was a small one, like all the others. He led me inside and introduced me to the teacher, who was absoloutly delighted to have a new student. The classroom was set up like a lab, and he had me take a seat at the first lab station. The class started filing in a few minutes later, a few of them stopping to introduce themselves, obviously curious about the new kid. Of course, most of the people entered in twos, leaving me without a partner. Just before the bell rang, three people entered. They were all beautiful, but pale. Two boys and a girl. One of the boys was obviously older. He was a bit taller with short, black hair. The girl was a little shorter than the first boy, with curly, red hair. The second boy, and third in the group, looked a few inches taller than my five feet three inches.

"Can we sit in a group of three?" The girl seemed to plead with Mr. Fisher in a musical voice.

"Sorry," Mr. Fisher said sternly, "You know the rules, Karly, two per group."

"Damien, why don't you take the empty seat? I'll make it up to you later." It was then I noticed the accent - Australian. My favorite of all accent and direct proof I wasn't the only outsider in this school. The shorter one, Damien, sat next to me quietly.

Mr. Fisher passed out books to each of us as well as a workbook. Since it was the first day of school, he gave us each an "evaluation test" which we had to complete in class. Damien and the two people he had entered with hurried out of the classroom as soon as the bell rang. I walked slowly, trying not to be forced into a conversation.

"Sherri." Aaron greeted as soon as I walked outside. He walked over to me, smiling and holding an umbrella over out heads. "How was your first class?"

"Good." I said quietly. "So um.. English now?"

We hurried off in the rain, which seemed to be picking up. It was perfectly fine to me, but most people seemed to whine about how hard the rain was falling. Our English teacher made me introduce myself to the class, and they seemed to swoon over the fact that I moved from Texas. I suffered through Trig and Spanish and finally, lunch. Aaron was quite enthusiastic when informing me of the different options we could eat in the cafeteria. I finally spoke and told him I had packed my lunch. He seemed happy, still, and lead me into the cafeteria. The tables were octagons, obviously meant for eight people. I counted 7 before Aaron walked over. He snagged a chair from another table and pushed it between the one empty chair and someone else.

"Hey Aaron." The table seemed to greet alltogether.

"Hey," Aaron replied. "Everyone, this is Sherri. She's new. Sherri, this is Nick, Coby, Andrew, Liz, Sarah, Kim, and Emily."

"Hi!" Sarah greeted happily. "Welcome to Forks."

"Thanks." I replied shyly. "The rain is beautiful."

"Do you not get rain in Texas?" Coby asked curiously.

"Do you really ride horses to school?" Liz asked.

"How hot are the guys?" Kim beamed.

I smiled nervously. "Um, we get Rain. But not like this- not beautiful. We don't ride horses to school - I've never even been on one. And I'm definetly not an expert on how hot the guys are."

Nick seemed to silence the table with a wave of his hand. "Why's that?"

"Why what?" I replied, confused.

"Why aren't you an expert? Seems most girls are."

"MOST girls. I am not like most."

"In what way."

"In the way where I've never been on a date in my life."

"I'm hungry," Liz complained. "Can we go get food?"

The table all stood up except for me and Sarah.

Nick frowned. "Not coming, Sherri?"

I shook my head. "I packed my lunch."

"Oh well, we'll be back. You two have fun."

"So," Sarah said when it was just us. "How has your first day been?"

"Pretty good. Aaron's been a great help. But there was this guy in my Anatomy class..."

"Who?!"

"His name.. starts with a D.."

"Derrick? The captain of the football team?"

"No, no, no. He had an accent. And he was with.. a girl and a guy."

"Ah, him. I know who you're talking about. Carlisle's kids."

"Who?"

"Carlisle. Hot doctor at the hospital. He and his wife Esme take in foster kids every once in a while. Those four are like.. her cousin's cousin's sister's ex-boyfriend's sister's kids. Or something like that. Ava Sanders, she's the short little one, but she's got quite a temper. Doesn't come to school often. Then there's the tall girl, Karly Timmons. She's beautiful, isn't she? The taller of the boys is Tim Gregor, he's just.. amazing. Then there's Damien. So quiet, yet so cute. I think the mysterious factor adds in. Of course, that entire family just has that mystery to them. My brother went to school with the last bunch. Edward, Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, and Emmett. They were all so.. beautiful."

It was then I spotted them, there accross the cafeteria. Just three of them, the three from my Anatomy class. Tim and Karly sat with uneaten food in front of them, but Damien was actually eating. Slow and graceful he ate, conversing with his "siblings" between bites. I couldn't help but to stare. It was mesmorizing, to say the least. Tim said something to Damien, gesturing in my general direction. Damien turned to look at me, and I froze. Our eyes locked, and his a beautiful emerald green made me feel inferior with my plain boring brown ones. He cracked a smile and we both looked away quickly.

"So, what'd you bring for lunch?" Aaron asked, returning to his seat next to me.

I pulled my lunch bag from my backpack. "I think my mom packed a PB&J. You want some?"

"Sure. You want to try some spinach lasagna? It's really good."

"Looks delicious." I said, eying his plate.

He cut off a peice and held the fork out to me. "Here, take a bite."

I did as instructed and was delighted. The lasagna was good. I took my sandwich out and put it on the table. "Aaron, you can have it if you want. I think I'm going to go outside."

"Sherri, it's pouring down rain outside."

"Point being?"

"Take my umbrella," he insisted, handing it to me.

I sighed and took it. "Thank you, Aaron. I'll meet you in Government, ok?"

"Can you find it?"

"I'll try my hardest."

I gathered my things and headed outside. If possible, it was raining harder than before. The rain spilled over the umbrella as I walked slowly, watching the sky. It was intriguing, the way the rain felt here was quite different than the rain back home. I walked along happily, smiling at the rain and twirling the umbrella in my hands. Of course, being the klutz I am, I lost my footing in the rain. I knew there was no catching my balance and waited dreadfully for the wet butt I was fixing to receive from the rain I loved. However, no such thing happened. I was caught from behind by a pair of strong hands. The same pair of hands steadied me, then turned me. Damien was the owner of those strong hands.

"Gotta be more careful there." He whispered, steadying me on my feet. "You could've hurt yourself."

"Thanks." I stuttered. "I'm Sherri."

He nodded. "I'm Damien. Your.. mum is dating the Cheif of Police, right?"

I rolled my eyes. Did everyone know, or just him? "Yeah, she is. His daughter's married to like.. your brother, isn't she?"

"To be technical, he's not my blood brother. Esme and Carlisle took in me and the others because our families were having.. a rough time. They're very sweet. It's nice having a family like them."

"So.. you're from Australia?"

"And you're from Texas. Why don't you tell me why you moved here?"

I felt as though my heart skipped a beat. "What?"

"Well, most people around here, I've discovered, have been here their whole lives. You, on the other hand have been in town what.. a day?"

I smiled. "Yeah, sounds about right. Well, if you must know, my dad died about.. two months ago. My mom let me stay down in Texas and grieve for a while, then she decided I was going to move to Forks. So I left Texas and moved to Forks."

"My brother, Jasper, is from Texas."

"Oh, maybe I could meet him sometime?"

"Maybe. So.. got any brothers or sisters?"

"Actually, I do. They're half - same dad, different mom. Kyle is six and Rachael is four."

"Who do they live with?"

"My grandpa."

"So.. what class are you going to next?"

"Um. History. Building six. Could you show me where it is?"

He glanced back toward the cafeteria. Karly and Tim were staring at us, which made me wonder how long they had been watching. "It'd probably be better if I didn't. I should get back inside. Nice meeting you, though. I'll see you around." He turned and went back inside. I could feel Karly and Tim still watching me, anger on their faces. For some reason, this made me extremly uncomfortable. I shifted my bag on my shoulder and continued walking along. There was something weird about them. They seemed.. paler than most. Then again, most people in Forks were pale due to the lack of sunlight. They seemed TOO perfect. There was something about them that made me curious.

At last, I found building 6. The door was unlocked, so I headed inside. The teacher sat at a desk with a nameplate that identified him as Mr. Jefferson. He was eating what looked (and smelled) like a tuna salad sandwich. I cleared my throat and waited for him to look up.

"Oh, hello." He said happily when he saw me. "Let me guess... Sherri Richardson? New student from Texas?"

"Yes, sir." I replied politely. "I'm sorry if I interupted your lunch."

"No, it's quite alright. Are you enjoying Forks so far?"

"Yeah, it's pretty great. The rain, that is."

"And how are your classes?"

"Pretty good so far. It's very.. different here."

"You transferred from a Private school right?"

"Yes, sir. Uniforms included. So.. where can I sit?"

"Oh, right. Back row, middle desk. You can put your umbrella in the holder by the door."

I put the umbrella in the holder as told, then walked to the back of the classroom to my seat. I wasn't sure how I felt about this, being the first one to the classroom. Rather than trying to figure out what to do when the rest of my classmates came in, I pulled a copy of The Giver from my bag and started reading. The bell rang soon after, and I could hear students filing in. "Hey." A familiar voice whispered next to me. I looked up, and there was Aaron, sitting next to me.

I marked my place in the book and put it down. "Hey Aaron. Enjoy lunch?"

"It could've been better. What'd you and Damien talk about?"

"You saw me?"

"Pretty much everyone did, Sherri. Everyone knows the Cullen clan rarely dates outside their own. For instance, Rosalie and Emmett, Jasper and Alice, Tim and Karly. There are few exceptions. Edward was the first. He met Bella after she moved from Arizona. Now, there's Ava and Damien. I think Damien likes you."

"But he doesn't even know me."

Aaron shrugged. "I still think he likes you. Can't say I blame him."

I rolled my eyes and started copying the notes Mr. Jefferson was writing on the board. I wasn't sure about the classes, or the wilderness. But one thing was for sure - I was enjoying the people. Damien - and his siblings - seemed to have that sense of mystery about them. For some reason, I found this quite appealing. My curiousity was on full; I wanted to know everything about that beautiful boy and his family.

History was gone and over with before I knew it. Aaron walked me to the gym and introduced me to the coach before rushing off to the office. The coach had the class sit in the bleachers while he went over the importance of proper footwear when running. Then he went on to talk about the proper clothing to wear when running. Finally, he started handing out our dress sets. Shorts and t-shirts for the warmer days, Sweats for the colder days. The sweats were black, the front of the hooded top says "Forks Spartans" in yellow letters. The shirts were yellow with black writing. "Tomorrow," he said in a booming voice, "We will be going out to the track. Change in the dressing rooms here then head over to the track. Rain or shine - we are running."

Aaron met me outside to walk me to my next class. Journalism was pretty boring- standard first day of school things. At last, time for Chemistry. Aaron and I walked in and I went to the teacher, Mr. Banner, to have him sign my slip and ask him where to sit. He had the class sitting alphabetically. Of course, I was seated next to none other than Damien Rogers. He sat as far away from me as possible and didn't speak once to me the entire class period. At last, the final bell rang. Damien was out of his seat and heading for the door before I even picked up my bag. I was tempted to hurry after him and talk with him, but Aaron walked up to me.

"You drive?" He asked curiously.

I nodded happily. "Yeah, my grandpa bought me an old beetle before I moved."

"Nice. I have a Thunderbird Premium myself. Would you like to see it?"

I shook my head nervously. "No, thanks, Aaron. I'd probably better head home. I need to call my little sister and find out how her day went. First day of preschool. Plus I need to go turn this in to the front office."

His face fell. "Oh, well, see you later then."

I grabbed my bag and hurried out of the classroom. The rain had lightened to a drizzle, but the sky threatened more rain. I smiled and went to the front office. The receptionist smiled at me. "How was your first day, sweetie?"

"Great." I replied happily, handing her the slip. "I'm really starting to like Forks." I didn't wait for a reply before turning to leave. I headed out to my car and grumbled - my headlights were still on. I got in the car and attemtped to start it up. It was as if the car was laughing at me as it sputtered, refusing to start. "Come on." I commanded, hitting the wheel, "START!" I turned the key again, but no such luck. My battery was dead. I switched off the headlights and tried again. The laughing sputtering repeated. I took the keys out and threw them on the dashboard, hitting the wheel with my fists. I cursed at my car repeatedly, more angry at myself than the car.

I heard a knocking at the window and looked up. Aaron was at my window, along with about six other guys. I rolled down my window, embarrased. "Hey, Aaron." I said shakily.

"Hey," he replied happily. "Car trouble?"

I nodded, blushing. "I think I left my headlights on all day."

"Oh, that's not a problem at all. Nick, pull my truck over here, will ya? I'll give it a jumpstart."

Nick pulled the truck over and all the guys gathered around the front of my car with excitment. I popped the hood and they lifted it up. I heard several gasps and whispering between the guys. Finally, Aaron came over and opened my door. "Come here, you need to see this."

I got out and followed him to the front of the car. "What?" I asked curiously.

Aaron stood behind me, hands on my shoulders, and pointed at something. "Your radiator's cracked."

"My what?"

"It's part of your car. We could fix the crack, but chances are, it'll crack again. Best chances are to replace it."

"How much is that going to cost?"

"Don't worry about it. I'll fix it myself and get the radiator myself."

"And that leaves me where with you?"

"A date."

"Where? When?"

"This weekend. We can hit the beach in La Push. Picnic lunch. What do you say?"

"I don't really have much of a choice. I need my car."

"Right. I'll call my dad to come tow it to the house. I'll drive you home myself. Charlie.. won't have a problem with it right?"

"He won't. Can we go ahead and go? I need to call my little sister."

He wrapped his arm around my waist and led me over to his truck, opening the driver's side door. "Just climb in here. I'll get your bag. Alright? Oh, sit in the middle. Nick's riding with us, too."

I climbed in as instructed and scooted to the middle. I watched all the guys around my car, laughing and makign jokes with each other. Then I saw him - accross the parking lot. Damien was watching, the look of absolute pleaseure on his face. It made me wonder...

Nick and Aaron both got into the truck on either side of me, Nick holding my bag.

"Do you know where the house is?" I asked thoughtfully.

"Yeah," Aaron replied, "I know exactly where it is. I hear Charlie may be your stepdad soon."

"Where'd you hear that from?"

"Around town. Just a rumor, though. Don't get all worried. I'm sure it's nothing."

Something about the look on his and Nick's face didn't make me quite believe them. And I was still curious about the look of satisfaction I saw on Damien's face...


	2. Beach Adventure

The following morning I awoke to a truck horn honking impatiently. I climbed out of bed sleepily and walked over to the window. Aaron waved at me from his truck. I opened my window and yelled down "Hang on, let me get dressed. 10 minutes TOPS!"

"Hurry up!" he yelled back, "I brought you some breakfast!"

I hurriedly got dressed and rushed downstairs. I grabbed my bag and rushed out the door to the truck. Of course, it was already raining. Aaron was waiting patiently in the truck, drumming along to "Dance Dance" by Fall Out Boy. I opened the door and climbed in. "Morning, Aaron." I mumbled.

"Morning." He replied back, turning down the stereo. "I brought you a breakfast sandwich, want it?"

I took the sandwich that he handed me. "Thanks. For the sandwich and for taking me to school."

"No problem," he replied happily. "Did you talk to your sister last night?"

I hit the dashboard of the car. I had completely forgotten. "Crap, I forgot."

"Just call her tonight, I'm sure she'll understand." He drove to the school without another word between us, just the sounds of Fall Out Boy blaring from the radio. He pulled into his parking spot and we both got out. I could FEEL the stares from Damien and his family as I sat on the bed of Aaron's truck talking to my newfound friends.

I absolutely loathed Anatomy. Damien ended up doing our entire group project so I was bored the entire class period. But after that, Aaron was like my protective little puppy dog, following me from place to place, making sure I had someone talking to me. At lunch I realized I forgot my lunch and had no money, so Aaron split his lunch with me- nachos.

It was pouring down rain when I got to PE, and I knew we'd have to run. I changed quickly into my sweats and headed out into the gym, not sure where we were going to run. I saw a group of people in sweats walking, so I followed them. We went out to the football field and were all gathered around the track waiting for Coach Clapp. Finally, he came out and instructed us on stretching, then told us all to do a few laps around the field for the rest of class. I took my pace steady, my hood down, letting the rain pour on me. I felt as though I was being watched, one of those creepy vibes.. the hairs on the back of my neck were on end. I ran my first lap easily. On the second lap, however, I somehow tripped over something and rolled down the hill that was by the curve of the track. I tumbled to the bottom and heard a loud _**crack **_and enormous pain shot through my leg. I bit my lip and twisted to see what was hurting me. Somehow, a pole from the fence had fallen on my leg.

"Help!" I yelled. "Somebody? Anybody?" I heard a thud behind me that made me yelp.

"It's alright." A beautiful voice whispered in my ear. "It's just me, Damien. Do you remember me, Sherri?"

"Yeah." I replied tearfully. "Damien, my leg..."

"Shhh, you're going to be fine." He kneeled down next to me. "Stay still alright? Don't move." I heard him get up and tell someone something, then he knelt down next to me. "Sherri, where does it hurt?"

"My leg!" I yelled. "The pole..."

"Is she alright?" I heard Coach Clapp ask.

"Her leg." Damien replied. "She said it hurts. I should get her to the hospital."

"Should I call an ambulance?"

"No, I can get her there faster. I'll call my father on the way to let him know we're coming."

Damien moved the pole off my leg and picked me up carefully in his arms. "Sherri, I'm taking you to my car alright? We're going to the hospital."

"No," I tried to protest, "I'm fine."

"You hit your head, Sherri. I need to make sure you're alright. My father is going to take care of you at the hospital."

I could feel him moving, but I had no sense of time. I kept my eyes closed, feeling tired as I let him carry me. "Sherri, stay awake." I heard him say as he put me down. "Sherri, talk to me."

I opened my eyes and looked around. I was laying across the backseat of a car. It looked like a mustang, but I couldn't tell from where I was. "Damien?"

"I'm right here." He called from the front seat. I could feel the car start and watched as he started driving. "Just stay awake, Sherri. Talk to me."

"What happened?"

"You tripped when you were running and fell down the hill. You hit your head pretty hard, I think on a rock or something."

"I'm tired. Can I go to sleep?"

"No, you need to stay awake, Sherri. I think you have a concussion."

The car came to a stop and I attempted to sit up. "No no no," Damien said, opening the back door. "I've got ya." He picked me up again and started carrying me inside. "Carlisle, I think she hit her head pretty hard. She was complaining about her leg when I found her."

"Alright," a calm, musical voice replied. "Let's put her on a gurney and get her checked out."

Damien carefully laid me down. "Should we call her father?"

"No, the school will handle that. Sherri, do you know what happened?"

I tried to remember the best I could. "I was running.. and I fell.. down the hill.. My leg really hurts. Dr. Cullen, make it stop..."

I felt something sting in my wrist. "Don't worry, dear, it's an IV. I'm giving you some medicine for the pain."

It was quite a while before I was fully aware again. When I finally became aware, I saw Damien sitting at the end of the bed I was in, twirling a pen.

"Hello." He said, not even looking up. "I'll go tell Carlisle you're aware now. He'll be quite delighted." He got up and walked out of the room.

I looked around the room slowly, trying to remember what had happened and where I was.

"Sherri." Carlisle stated, nearly asking a question. "Do you know where you are?"

I turned toward him. The lab coat immediately gave me my answer. "The hospital."

"Do you remember today's date?"

I scrunched my nose and attempted to recall the date. "Nope, can't remember. Sorry."

"Can you try a little harder?"

"No. I don't remember. Next question."

"Do you know what city you're in?"

"Forks, Washington."

"Do you remember what today's date is?"

"Didn't you already ask it? I suck with dates ok?"

"I've contacted Charlie; he'll be here soon to pick you up."

"So I'm fine?"

"Not exactly. Your leg is bruised badly and you've got a concussion. So to make sure you don't pass out, you can't sleep tonight. So no school tomorrow, doctor's orders. On the bright side, you won't be running in PE for at least two weeks."

"Great." I mumbled half-heartedly.

Charlie got there nearly twenty minutes later, worried crazy. He brought me a pair of my pajamas, which one of the nurses helped me change into. Then he drove me home, complete with a prescription of pain pills for my leg, which I didn't plan to take. As soon as we got home, I went straight to my room to call Rachael. On the third ring, my grandpa answered the phone.

"Hello?" he answered.

"Grandpa!" I exclaimed. "Hi, it's Sherri."

"Sherri! How's Washington?"

"Good. Rainy."

"That's great, you love the rain."

"Yeah. Can I talk to Rach for a minute?

"Sure. Rachael!"

"Hello?" answered a small voice.

"Hey Rachael!"

"Sherri!"

"Hey, how was your first day of preschool."

"You forgot to call yesterday."

"I know, my car was having some problems."

"Is it fixed now?"

"Yeah."

"Grandpa said we get to come stay with you for a whole weekend!"

"Yeah, that'll be in a couple of weeks, hun. Are you excited?"

"Yeah! I can't wait!"

I laughed at her excitement. "Well, sweetie, I'm going to let you go, alright? I have a lot of stuff to do."

"Ok, Sherri. Love you, bye."

I hung up the phone and put it on my nightstand.

There was a soft knock at my door. "Who is it?" I yelled.

"Charlie." the knocker replied. "Do you want something to eat?"

"No, thanks, I'm not really hungry."

"Are you sure? Dr. Cullen said it'd be best for you to try and eat."

"I'm really not hungry, Charlie. Thanks anyway!" I sighed as I heard him walk back down stairs. This was going to be a long night. I took out The Giver again and started reading.

Around 7-ish, I heard my mom's car pull up. There was chitter-chatter between her and Charlie downstairs, and then I heard her coming up the stairs. She knocked softly on my door.

"Yeah?" I asked, annoyed.

"Do you want something to eat?"

"No, mom, I'm still not hungry."

"You need to eat, Sherri."

"I'm not eating when I'm not hungry, mom."

I heard my mom sigh. "Alright, fine. How's your leg feeling?"

"Fine." I lied. To be honest, my leg was hurting. But I knew the pain pills would make me hungry. And I wasn't in the mood to eat. "I've got books to keep me entertained."

"Oh, alright. If you need anything just yell, alright?"

"Alright, mom."

I put the book on my nightstand and pulled the rocking chair over by the window. Slowly I rocked, staring at the rain pouring down outside. I took my iPod from my nightstand drawer and put my music on shuffle, rocking. I felt as though someone out in the night was watching me, but blew it off. I rocked back and forth, humming along to the music. When my cell phone started ringing, I jumped. I could hear it over my music.

"Hello?" I answered, pressing the phone to my ear.

"Sherri?" a beautiful voice replied. I recognized it…

"Damien?"

"Yes. Hi. I was calling to make sure you're doing alright."

"Yeah," I lied, "I'm doing perfectly fine."

"How's your leg feeling?"

"Great. I can hardly feel the pain at all." Another lie.

"That's good. Well, that's all I called for. I will see you on Friday, then?"

"Right, Friday. See you then."

I closed the phone and put it back on the nightstand. I sighed, moving over to the desk and pulling my homework out of my schoolbag. I figured it would be easier to get my homework done right then instead of waiting until after my sleepless night.

"Sherri." Charlie called form the hallway. "Can I come in? Dr. Cullen is here to check on you."

"Sure." I called, not turning from my chemistry homework.

The door opened and Charlie walked in, followed by Dr. Cullen.

"Good evening, Sherri." Dr. Cullen greeted.

"Hi." I muttered.

"Would you mind lying on the bed? I need to get a good look at your leg."

I turned in my chair, and then walked warily to the bed and layed down. Charlie and my mom were watching from the doorway, protectively. Dr. Cullen pulled my chair next to the bed and sat down. He rolled up my pants leg and started prodding at my injured leg. I bit my lip to keep from screaming due to the pain.

"The swelling has gone down a little bit, but I'd like you to keep some ice on it. Have you eaten anything?"

"No."

"You should definitely eat something. I suggest some coffee as well- to help keep you awake. I'll stop by again in the morning."

"Thank you, Dr. Cullen." Charlie said, smiling. "I have a few things downstairs I'd like you to take to Bella for me."

My mother lingered in the doorway as Charlie and Dr. Cullen headed downstairs. "What would you like to eat?" She asked dryly.

I sat up, shrugging. "I'm not really hungry, mom."

"Dr. Cullen said you should, sweetie. I'll make you something to eat and bring the extra coffee pot up here. So what do you want to eat?"

I sighed. "Just make a sandwich or something, mom."

My mom's face changed then. She seemed concerned about my reply. She crossed the room and sat in my computer chair, facing me. "Is there something bothering you?"

"No, mom. I'm just tired."

"Do you miss your car?"

"Yeah, but Aaron said it'll be fixed by the middle of next week."

"How much is this going to cost?"

"For you-nothing."

"And you?"

"A date."

"To where? When?"

"Tomorrow after school we're going to… La push."

"I should call Jacob Black and have him meet up with you!"

"Who?"

"A family friend."

"Mom, this is a DATE. I don't need your 'family friend' tagging along."

"I'll go make you a sandwich." She stood up and left the room without another word.

I spent the rest of the night at my computer desk, my leg propped up on the rocking chair. I finished my homework first, and then mindlessly surfed the internet. By morning I counted ten _pots _I had made. My mom and Charlie both checked in on me before heading to work, leaving me to wait for Dr. Cullen.

The doorbell rang when I was pulling cinnamon rolls out of the oven. I put the pan on the stove and went to the door. "Who is it?"

"Dr. Cullen." A musical voice replied. "May we come in?"

I opened the door and nearly gasped at the sight. Dr. Cullen had brought Damien and two others with him. They were both beautiful- and pale. The one still standing on the stairs was tall, lean, and muscular with honey blonde hair. The one standing next to Damien was lanky, less bulky, with untidy, bronze-colored hair. I recognized him from a photo Charlie had in the living room. I moved aside, letting them inside. The blonde closed the door when he entered, smiling at me.

"Sorry I'm running so late." Carlisle apologized. "Emergency at the hospital this morning. Then Bella asked me to get a few things for her while I was here. So of course, her husband wanted to tag along…"

"It's fine." I replied, "I was just going to go put these cinnamon rolls away. Would any of you like one?"

"I would!" Damien volunteered. The brunette elbowed him. "I mean… no thanks, Sherri. Why don't you and I watch some television for a bit?"

I watched the blonde stare at me as I felt suddenly thirst. "I'm going to get something to drink first."

"I'll get it." Dr. Cullen insisted. "Jasper, Edward, why don't you get Bella asked for please."

Damien led me into the living room- as if he knew where he was going already. He sat down on the couch, pulling me down next to him.

"Remote?" I questioned.

He picked it up off the arm of the couch and handed it to me. "Lady's choice."

I handed the remote back to him. "You're the guest."

He happily took the remote, flipping through the channels until he found a movie- Ms. Doubtfire.

"Here you go." Carlisle announced, handing me a glass of milk. "I'll go help Edward and Jasper." He turned and left quickly.

"Yum," I said smiling, "Milk!." I thirstily gulped down the glass of milk.

Damien took the empty glass and put it on the coffee table. "How was your night?"

"Boring. Never thought I'd miss sleep."

"Why don't you lay down and prop up your leg?"

I looked next to me on the couch and two pillows were stacked, as if they were waiting for me. "There's no way I can lay down with both of us on the couch."

"You can lay your head in my lap." Damien replied. "I have a pillow and everything."

I turned, laughing at the pillow he had placed in his lap. I turned carefully and put my foot up on the stacked pillows. Damien pulled me slowly until my head was on the pillow in his lap. "I'm not hurting you, right?"

He smiled and shook his head. "Not at all. Um... strange question."

"Yeah?"

"Mind if I play with your hair?"

I laughed, yawning. "No, I don't mind. Be my guest."

He smiled carefully pulling my hair out from underneath my head. He slowly ran his fingers through it, humming something I knew, but couldn't quite pinpoint. "Are you tired?" he whispered, tracing a finger along my forehead.

"No." I lied, stifling a yawn. "I'm fine."

"Looks like you're struggling to keep your eyes open to me."

"I'm fine." I stifled another yawn, struggling to stare up at him. He watched the movie, still stroking my hair. "Shouldn't you be at school?"

"I'm on a career day with dad. Hospitals make for great learning environments. Shouldn't YOU be sleeping? You were up all night."

"Not tired." I lied again. "I'd rather talk to you anyways."

"Let's talk about you."

"What about me?"

"So you're how old?"

"Sixteen."

"There's a start. You're from Texas, I know that."

"Yeah…"

"You lived with your dad and… stepmother I'm assuming?"

"Yeah."

"Your parents split up…"

"When I was like… 7 or something. I don't remember."

"When did your mum move to Forks?"

"When my dad married Chloe."

"Who made the decision for you to live with your dad rather than your mum?"

"My dad had more money, so he could support me better. So mom moved away when Chloe came into the picture."

"How did your dad die?"

I closed my eyes in refusal to answer. "I'm tired."

"Sherri, are you going to answer me?"

I yawned. "Too tired…"

He continued playing with my hair. "Alright… we'll discuss it later. Sooner or answer, you'll have no choice but to answer me."

I smiled happily. "Eventually, Damien – you will get your answer."

I could hear low whispering around me- like someone muttering under their breath. Damien's hands continued to run through my hair slowly. A few times he'd stop and trace across my forehead with his finger, causing me to shiver. He seemed to enjoy that.

-.-.-.-.-.

When I opened my eyes again, the sun was setting through the cloudy sky. I looked at the ceiling- I was back in my bedroom. As I started to sit up I noticed I wasn't wearing the same clothes I had fallen asleep in. Now I was wearing an old pink tank top of mine and a pair of basketball shorts.

"Mom." I called, "Charlie?"

"They went out." A familiar voice replied.

"Aaron?"

"Yeah?"

"Where are you?"

"In the kitchen."

"How long have you been here?"

"About…20 minutes. Charlie and your mom wanted to go out to eat, but didn't want you to totally freak out. So, Charlie called me."

"So _why_ are you here?"

"To take you to dinner at the diner. _Someone_ around here has to make sure you eat. Are you going to wear that lovely outfit? Or should I give you time to change?"

"What do you think?"

"Well, that tank top might look… see-through when wet."

"Give me a few so I can change."

"Alright."

I grabbed one of my favorite shirts- a blue semi-low cut shirt with a hood and pockets and front. I paired it with a pair of jeans and my favorite black converse.

When I walked downstairs, Aaron was waiting, my jacket in his hand.

"Thanks," I whispered as he helped me into my jacket.

"Not a problem." He said smiling, "Ready to go?"

I nodded and opened the door. "Hey! It's not raining. Major shock."

Aaron laughed and gently pushed me outside, closing the front door. "It'll start again soon." We both got in the truck and he started driving to the diner. "Oh, do you want to stop by the football game tomorrow? Or just go straight to the beach?"

"Me plus sports? I mean... it's your date, Aaron. If you want to go to the game, we can go."

"No, it's fine. It's only the first game- Nick always records every game anyways."

"I'm sure Charlie would love to watch it with you on Saturday- my mom, too."

It didn't take us long to get to the diner. Aaron found a parking spot easily. He opened my door and led me inside the diner. The waitress was a girl named Tara from our Chemistry class. Aaron ordered us an appetizer- cheese fries. He also ordered us each a coke and an order of chicken tenders to share.

"So…" Aaron said nervously. "How many siblings do you have?"

"Two. One brother, one sister. You?"

"Three other brothers, two younger brothers, and a younger sister."

"Have you always lived in Forks?" The question was a stupid one to ask. I was one of the few people around here who hadn't always lived in Forks.

"Yup. Parents own the Newtons' Olympic Outfitters."

"Very nice. You do a lot of camping?"

"Yeah, hiking too. What about you?"

"Never been- always wanted to."

"We should go sometime. Like… in the spring. It'd be really cool. We could go in La Push."

"That'd be cool."

The rest of the night went smoothly. The waitress brought our drinks and cheese fries. We talked about family, school, etc. When our chicken tenders came, he ate hungrily while I merely picked at the piece of chicken I put in front of me.

"You alright?" Aaron asked, putting down the chicken tender he had started on.

"I'm fine." I replied happily. "Just not too hungry."

"Oh, want me to take you home?"

"No no no, you can finish, I'm fine, really."

Aaron shrugged, continuing his food. We talked some more, then played some DDR in the little arcade area. By the time we headed out to the truck, I was falling asleep. I leaned on him the whole way back to the house, afraid to fall asleep. Charlie met us outside when we got to the house. Surprisingly, he allowed Aaron to carry me up to my room. I sleepily changed into my nightclothes, barely noticing that Aaron was in my doorway. He tucked me in, then left. I could've sworn I heard Damien's laughter softly in my room as I fell asleep.


End file.
